My heart gave a bound, and Forsyth started and said, “Ho!” but the unabashed Brentin merely politely replied, “One moment to you, sir. We will attend to you directly.—Time’s up, Mr. Crage! is it or is it not a deal?”
Bailey Thompson laughed. “Cool as ever, Mr. Brentin, I see,” he said. “But don’t you think this amusing farce of yours has gone on long enough? It has been successful so far, as I always thought it would be!”
“You’re mighty good!”
“We have no desire to be unduly hard on you.”
“You are mighty particular good!”
“The Casino authorities are, on the whole, willing to regard you as eccentric English gentlemen of position, who have played a very cruel practical joke on them.”
“That so?”
“That is so. This is their representative, Mossieu Cochefort.”
“Enchantay!” cried Brentin, with a bow.
“He is charged to say that, on the due return of the money you have sto—ahem!—carried off, and an undertaking from you in writing that you none of you ever visit the place again, on any pretence, they are willing to forego criminal proceedings, and no further questions will be asked.”